COPYRIGHT Translation by Matthew Rutsohn Cover art by Momoco This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. TOKIDOKI BOSOTTO ROSHIAGO DE DERERU TONARI NO ARYA SAN Vol.4 ©Sunsunsun, Momoco 2022 First published in Japan in 2022 by KADOKAWA CORPORATION, Tokyo. English translation rights arranged with KADOKAWA CORPORATION, Tokyo, through TUTTLE-MORI AGENCY, INC., Tokyo. English translation © 2023 by Yen Press, LLC Yen Press, LLC supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book without permission is a theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like permission to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), please contact the publisher. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights. Yen On 150 West 30th Street, 19th Floor New York, NY 10001 Visit us at yenpress.com • facebook.com/yenpress • twitter.com/yenpress • yenpress .tumblr.com instagram.com/yenpress First Yen On Edition: October 2023
Edited by Yen On Editorial: Leilah Labossiere Designed by Yen Press Design: Liz Parlett Yen On is an imprint of Yen Press, LLC. The Yen On name and logo are trademarks of Yen Press, LLC. The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Sunsunsun, author. | Momoco, illustrator. | Rutsohn, Matthew, translator. Title: Alya sometimes hides her feelings in Russian / Sunsunsun ; illustration by Momoco ; translation by Matthew Rutsohn. Other titles: Tokidoki bosotto roshiago de dereru tonari no Arya san. English Description: First Yen On edition. | New York, NY : Yen On, 2022– Identifiers: LCCN 2022029973 | ISBN 9781975347840 (v. 1 ; trade paperback) | ISBN 9781975347864 (v. 2 ; trade paperback) | ISBN 9781975367572 (v. 3 ; trade paperback) | ISBN 9781975367596 (v. 4 ; trade paperback) Subjects: CYAC: Language and languages—Fiction. | Friendship—Fiction. | Schools— Fiction. | LCGFT: Humorous fiction. | School fiction. | Light novels. Classification: LCC PZ7.1.S8676 Ar 2022 | DDC [Fic]—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022029973 ISBNs: 978-1-9753-6759-6 (paperback) 978-1-9753-6760-2 (ebook)
Contents Cover Insert Title Page Copyright Prologue A Past Best Forgotten Chapter 1 Do stomach fetishes even exist? Chapter 2 Otaku are so annoying. Chapter 3 Wait. Seriously? Chapter 4 Uh, are you pulling my leg? Chapter 5 That was no wrestling. Chapter 6 I want to be a turtle. Chapter 7 They were floating, man. Chapter 8 It’s some kind of (sleeping) prank? Chapter 9 You’re calling me a tyrant? Chapter 10 Feelings of Love Epilogue A Past That Mustn’t Be Forgotten Afterword
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PROLOGUE A Past Best Forgotten “Wasting your youth playing all day is the height of folly. Social skills can be improved in adulthood. However, the remarkable physical and mental development you go through during early childhood only happens once in a lifetime, which is why it is crucial to cultivate your skills now. Most mediocre individuals only realize this after reaching adulthood, when it is far too late to do anything about it. Do you understand, Masachika?” said Gensei Suou—a question he had a habit of asking. He would tell me that I mustn’t waste this valuable period of potential growth. Working hard now would save me from unwanted trouble in the future. “I will have the best learning environment and instructors prepared for you. You have talent. You have a rare gift that exceeds all others, and I will do whatever is necessary for you to excel.” There was no deceit in those words. Whether it was my studies, the arts, or even martial arts, I absorbed everything I was taught. My instructors and family showered me with praise, and it made me proud of myself. “Hey, Suou. You coming?” “Don’t bother, man. Of course he’s not.” It’s not my fault I have piano practice today. I mean, video games? How is getting better at gaming going to help me with anything? I’m not like you guys. People with talent have to work hard until we discover the limit of our abilities. I have to live up to my grandfather’s expectations. “I cannot believe how much English you can speak already. Very impressive, Masachika.” Thank you, Mother. But it isn’t enough. I still have potential to grow, so please save all your praise for me until after I get even better. “I’m sorry, Masachika. Things must have been hectic for you since I’ve been sleeping the whole day.” Page 1 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
What are you talking about, Yuki? Of course you need to sleep due to your frail constitution. Don’t worry. I will work hard enough for both of us and become the head of the Suou family household, so you don’t have to worry about a thing. “Are you okay studying all day like this? You deserve to spend more time playing. You’re a kid. It’s okay to act like one.” Spend more time playing? I just finished playing cards with Yuki and Ayano, Father. In fact, I played for an entire hour, so I should get back to studying. Plus, Mother has looked very awkward whenever she smiles lately. It’s like she’s forcing herself to praise me. I have to work even harder so she doesn’t have to force herself to do anything. “Oh my. You got your black belt in karate? You really worked hard, didn’t you? That’s wonderful.” Yeah, she’s forcing herself to praise me. This clearly isn’t enough to please her. That’s why she’s refusing to make eye contact, right? Because she doesn’t actually feel happy for me? I’m sorry, Mother. I will work hard so you don’t have to lie any longer. I will continue working hard until you are genuinely proud of me from the bottom of your heart. “Sir Masachika? Perhaps you should start getting ready for bed. You need to rest.” I’m fine, Ayano. I still can’t grasp my full potential. That’s why I need to put in more effort. More importantly, pay more attention to Yuki for me, okay? I can handle myself, so please just focus on her. “Ya think we’re stupid, don’cha?” “Being born rich doesn’t make you special, arrogant jerk.” Shut up. Stop annoying me. Just leave me alone! “Masachika, you should try to get along with your friends more.” Even the teacher won’t leave me alone. Those people aren’t my friends. They’re scum. All they do is get in my way and hold me back. I don’t have time to waste on them. I honestly don’t want to come to school. There’s not enough time in the day for all this. I have to work harder, or Mother will never smile from the bottom of her heart again! “Just stay home. Nobody wants you here.” “Seriously. Why do you still come to school?” Shut up, you little twerps. My sister wishes she could come to school, but she can’t. The slightest bit of exercise sends her into a coughing fit. She can’t even go outside. Page 2 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
“She has childhood asthma, and her symptoms are rather severe. Not only changes in environment or temperature, but heightened emotions could also worsen her symptoms, so please keep a close eye on her.” Can you believe it? Yuki can’t get angry or cry. She can’t yell or laugh. Not only is she a prisoner of her body, but her illness robs her of her emotions, too. And yet she doesn’t complain at all. She forces herself to smile so she won’t cause trouble for anyone. Who wants to be with you assholes? I’d be with Yuki right now if I had a choice. But I don’t want to make her sad or worry… That’s why I have to go to school—for her sake as well! “You have to leave for work again?! You’re never home!” “I’m sorry. I really wish I could spend more time with the family, but —” “You’re always like this! Do you seriously think apologizing’s going to make everything okay?!” Why…? Why is Mother this angry? Don’t yell. I want to see you smile like you used to. I promise I’ll work hard, so please don’t get mad at Father. Oh, I know. I’ll play that song Mother told me she liked. Chopin’s… What was it again? It was a really hard piece, but I’ll make sure to practice until I can play it for her. Surely then, she’ll… “Stop playing that this instant!” …I thought it would make her happy. Why?! I practiced really hard! I spent all this time learning and studying, and I never wasted any time playing! I was picked on at school for being “arrogant”! And you know what?! I didn’t care about any of that! Because Mother always praised me. Because Yuki always admired me. Why won’t she acknowledge how hard I’ve been working?! Praise me! Rub my head and tell me I’m doing a good job like you used to! “Do not worry about Yumi—about your mother. Just keep working hard like you have been.” Like I have been? You want me to continue to work hard like this? How the hell am I supposed to do that? Why? Why won’t anyone recognize the pain that I’m in?! It hurts. It’s too much. I feel like I can’t breathe trying to live up to my grandfather’s expectations. I feel like I can’t breathe around my mother. I feel like I can’t breathe…when Yuki and Ayano look up at me with such innocence in their eyes. I can’t take it anymore. I don’t…want to be here anymore. Page 3 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
“What’s wrong, Suou? Not going straight home today?” “Yo, man. I don’t think Mommy and Daddy are gonna be happy when they hear you’re trying to skip your piano lessons.” Annoying idiots. They really are aggravating. They just never know when to shut up. Maybe I should make them shut up? Then— No. They aren’t even worth my time. I’ll just ignore them. I have to ignore them… “Tsk. Is that how it’s gonna be? Arrogant little punk.” “His sister’s way more fun to pick on.” “His sister?” “Yeah, she hasn’t come to school at all lately, though.” Ignore them. Just ignore them… “She thinks she’s a little princess. It’s so annoying. I took her pencil case, and she was like, ‘Give that baaack,’ and then she just fell on her face.” “Seriously? Probably has a butler to feed her at home. That’s why she’s so weak.” “I bet she stays locked in her room all day and plays piano or something.” “Ha-ha-ha!” Ignore them…! ………………………… “Welcome, Masachika! Long time no see!” “Oh, you’re finally here! Masachika, I heard what happened. You beat up four of your classmates, huh? Good job! You’re a real man now!” “Grandpa! What do you think you’re doing? Don’t praise him for that.” “He’s already been lectured enough, hasn’t he? Besides, I find it hard to believe he’d ever hurt anyone without a good reason. A man only throws a punch when he has no choice but to put his foot down. Right, Masachika?” “Sigh… Anyway, you can stay here as long as you’d like, okay?” “Hell, you can even live with us if you want. Oh, hey! Let Grandpa here show ya his collection of Russian stuff!” …Why is he praising me like this? It doesn’t make any sense. It’s so different from the Suou household that my brain can’t process what’s going on. “You already understand this much Russian? Wow! You really are Page 4 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
Kyoutarou’s son.” I didn’t do anything special, and being praised like this doesn’t make me happy at all. There’s only one person who I want to praise me, and being complimented by anyone else just feels empty. “<Wait. You can speak Russian? That’s awesome!>” It feels empty. All I feel is emptiness… “<Wow! You really can do anything! You’re so cool!>” That’s… I… “<You can play piano? I wanna hear you play! Hey, can I listen to you play next time I see you? It’s a promise, then!>” There’s only one person… “<Masaaachika!>” ……………… Page 5 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
CHAPTER 1 Do stomach fetishes even exist? “Big brother, wake up.” It was a dimly lit room, quiet as could be. Only the faint sounds of cicadas chirping and the air conditioner filled the space. That is, until the sweet whispers of a young lady shook the serenity of the room. The young man didn’t open his eyes at the sound of her voice, but instead, his brow furrowed a bit, and he squirmed in his bed. “If you don’t wake up…I’m going to kiss you.” There was no frustration in her voice. If anything, she sounded somewhat happy as her soft murmurs echoed in the quiet room once more. However, the young man still showed no signs of waking, so the young lady’s lips faintly curled into a smile…and then into a huge grin before she yelled excitedly: “Time’s up! You lose! Nom!” “Ouch?!” A sharp pain suddenly shot down the young man’s nape—Masachika Kuze’s nape—so his hand flew up to touch the back of his neck. “Oh, you’re awake.” “Of course I am! The hell is wrong with you?!” He glared at the young lady—Yuki Suou, his sister—who was sitting on the edge of his bed, but she didn’t even blink. Instead, she taunted him. “I told you I was going to kiss you if you didn’t wake up.” “When? And what kind of kiss was that?” “You’ve never heard of a love-bite?” “You bit me like a damn snake.” Yuki raised a brow in surprise at his biting remark. “What? Do you want me to give you a normal kiss instead? Fine… Oh, but you just woke up and have morning breath, so do you think you could at least rinse your mouth for me?” Page 6 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
“What bizarre kind of kiss do you plan on giving me? No thanks.” “Oh, don’t pretend like you don’t want one. We used to always kiss when we were kids and playing around.” “Not as far as I remember.” “Ouch. Cold. Did ya really forget how it felt to kiss me? Tsk. Fine… I’ll just make ya remember.” She reached to undo the buttons on her shirt…until she realized she was wearing a T-shirt, so she stretched the collar with her fingers while slowly climbing onto the bed. She smirked like some conceited womanizer, crawling closer to him. “Nah, I’m good.” “Mfft?!” A rolled-up summer blanket hit Yuki right in the face, sending her off the side of the bed with a muffled yelp. Immediately, she wrapped the blanket around her body pitifully and put a hand over her mouth to pretend like she had burst into tears. “I can’t believe you! You’re terrible! You stole my first kiss, and this is how you treat me?!” “…Even if we pretend something like that happened long ago, I would be the one robbed of my first kiss, not you.” He glared at his sister reproachfully for making it seem like she was a tragic heroine who’d been pumped and dumped by some awful man, but Yuki continued to act the victim. “You’re trying to make me sound like the bad guy now, huh? Men never take responsibility for their actions.” “You have absolutely zero experience with men, so stop pretending you know anything about them!” “You’re right… You’re the only man I have ever cared for. I only love you, and yet…!” “Oh, shut up.” “And yet…it appears you aren’t satisfied with only one woman…” “The hell are you even talking about?” Masachika seemed exhausted, but he still winced when Yuki hit him with a sharp glare. “You still plan on playing dumb?! I know you’ve been bringing other women home behind my back!” “…!” Page 7 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
His heart skipped a beat, because he had a good idea who she was talking about. How did she know that?! Wait. She’s trying to trick me into admitting it. There’s no way she’d know about that. I have to act calm and cool! The instant he came to that decision, he masked his shock and looked at her with disgust. “How long do you plan on keeping this little charade up?” “Don’t act like you don’t know!” “What? I’m not.” “Then how do you explain…this?!” Yuki shouted as she held out her hand. Pinched in between her thumb and index finger…was a strand of white hair, glittering in the sunlight peeking in from the slightly ajar curtains. A cold sweat suddenly began to slide down Masachika’s back. “It’s hers, isn’t it? I found it by your pillow! How could you do this to me?! Bringing another woman with you to bed to do who knows what! Sickening!” “No… No…! That’s not true! I didn’t let her inside my room!” “Oh? So you admit you brought her home, huh?” “Huh…?” Yuki had dropped the performance out of nowhere and was now glaring at him in disappointment. While Masachika’s jaw dropped, Yuki swiftly thrust the hair forward at him with a smug, contemptuous smirk. “Take a closer look… It’s Grandpa’s hair!” “What?!” “Mwa-ha-ha! You fell for it! Consider this payback for the closing ceremony!” Masachika’s eyes narrowed at his sister’s boastful cackling as he tried to defend himself. “‘Payback’? Pretty rich coming from the girl who went all psychological warfare on Alya after drugging me. You attacked us first.” “Well, it is a competition, is it not? I can’t treat you special just because we’re family. Besides…” “‘Besides’…?” Yuki’s expression suddenly became serious as she kneeled on the edge of the bed. Masachika saw this and straightened up a bit. “…there is something I have noticed recently.” “What’s that?” Page 8 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
“It’s…” She spoke earnestly—unusual for her—while she stared off into the distance. “To tell the truth…I might be a villainess.” “…All right? Explain,” he encouraged unenthusiastically. “Think about it objectively. At school, I am seen as the model young gentlewoman who comes from a prestigious family. I even have Ayano as my maid.” “Sure.” “Meanwhile, Alya is a transfer student from a family of commoners. She might have the highest grades among the first-years, but people at school tend to keep their distance from her.” “…Sure, I guess.” “And now we’re campaign rivals. We’re duking it out on the election stage.” “Uh-huh.” Yuki raised an eyebrow while staring hard at her brother. “…” “…Staring at me like ‘Know what I mean?’ isn’t helping me understand you any better.” “Look at the positions we’re in. I’m obviously the villainess in this scenario.” “…Yeah, I guess I can see that.” “If things keep going as they are now, you’re going to expose me at the closing ceremony next year in March for wrongdoings during the campaign, then you’re going to tell me you never want to see me again, and I’m going to be kicked out of school.” “Well, I am the foolish prince in this scenario, after all.” “Then the Suou family is going to disown me and kick Ayano and me out with only the clothes on our backs.” “Oh, you’re going to bring Ayano with you, huh?” “After that, I’d be scouted by Hachioji, the president of the student council at Teiou Academy, and become the vice president of the student council there.” “You’d be scouted by who at what academy?” “And then after joining forces with Hachioji, we’d take over Seiren Academy and merge the school into ours! More of a hostile takeover, I Page 9 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
suppose.” “Wow. That’s a lot of power your new student council has. Wait. What’s going to happen to Alya and me?” “Huh? You’d be executed as representatives of the losing school, of course.” “Harsh. Ha-ha.” “But evil still lurks in the darkness! Yes, it was Ayano who was actually pulling the strings from behind the scenes the entire time!” “Wh-whaaaaaat?!” “Tune in next time! ‘Kimishima of the Rebellion: Episode II’! A great conspiracy beyond anything imaginable is about to shake Japan to its core!” “I didn’t see that one coming.” “And that’s why I’m apparently the villain, so I’m going to do whatever it takes to win the election!” “Wow. Clap, clap, clap,” replied Masachika apathetically as he clapped. Yuki, on the other hand, was staring up at the ceiling with her arms raised in victory. Then she cast a meaningful sidelong glance at her brother. “Joking aside, Ayano took really good care of you…in bed…thanks to my little scheme, so you’re welcome.” “Don’t pause and say ‘in bed’ like that. We didn’t do anything weird.” “Yeah, I heard. Sigh… A beautiful young woman is begging to wash your back and sleep by your side in bed, and you tell her ‘no’? Are you really a man?” “What are you getting after me for? If anything, you should praise me for being a gentleman.” “‘Shameful is he who spurns a woman’s invitation.’ Plus, Ayano was wearing a really revealing summertime maid uniform. It had a perfect opening under the ribbon around her neck for you to just stuff your hand into her cleavage.” “…Have you stuffed your hand into her cleavage before?” “Of course. It was so warm and soft. Best feeling ever.” Masachika coldly glared at his sister for her smug confession of sexual harassment, but she simply shook her head as if he was the crazy one. “You had the perfect get-out-of-jail-free card, and you blew it. You Page 10 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
could have just said that the fever caused temporary madness or something. You know how people say that for some reason you can cure a cold by giving it to someone else? Well, you could have used that as an excuse to throw yourself all over her, and yet…you wasted it. You wasted the perfect chance to get some action. You could have at least grabbed a titty or something. I’m just…disappointed in you, bro.” “I’m disappointed in what you just said.” “More importantly, I had no idea you snuck Alya into your place. Look at you, player.” She suddenly grinned and slowly approached him, but he immediately averted his gaze awkwardly. “…Nothing happened.” “Uh-huh… Two hormone-driven teenagers alone all day under the same roof, and you’re telling me nothing happened? Give me a break.” “Seriously, nothing happened. We just…” “You just…?” “We just did our summer-break homework…” “…” Her excitement faded. She leaned back, then tilted her head to the side in mute amazement without even blinking. “…You did homework? You invited Alya all the way over to your house just to do homework?” “…Yeah.” “During summer break? Your only summer break as a first-year high school student? The time most teenagers around the world openly revel in the joys of their youth?” “…Yeah.” “…And I’m guessing it wasn’t just a onetime thing, judging from your reaction.” “…She came over three or so times.” “Are you stupid or something?” Masachika couldn’t argue when she insulted him with a straight face, and he looked away. Even he honestly felt there was something wrong with himself. Despite the fact that he’d asked Alisa if they could hang out during summer break on the way home from the closing ceremony, he’d been having a hard time finding an excuse to actually invite her…but he could easily imagine the entire summer going by without him ever Page 11 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
thinking of anything. Furthermore, he couldn’t count on Alisa ever asking him first, so after hours of racking his brain, the best he could come up with was: “Hey, do you want to do our summer homework together?” Over the next three days, they quietly did their homework together at the Kuze residence without even a morsel of the sweetness you would see in a romantic comedy. And although they’d already been able to finish a lot of summer homework thanks to that, Masachika began to feel as though Alisa was slowly becoming stiffer and much less content by the day. Perhaps it was nothing more than his imagination, though. “Unbelievable. You didn’t even take her to your room…which means you did your homework together in the living room?” “…Yeah.” Masachika nodded half-heartedly. His sister’s eyes widened in shock, and she slammed her hand down on the bed. “You idiot! When you bring a girl home to study, you’re supposed to take her to your room and work together at your desk! That’s how the trope usually goes!” “But that’s when the character’s parents are home…” “Nobody was home, which is all the more reason you should have brought her to your room! Then the moment she leaned forward and you got a peek at her chest, it would warm your heart, and when she got on all fours and you saw the shape of her ass, it would warm your crotch!” “Don’t say ‘warm your crotch.’” “Then when you spill your tea on her white shirt, which’ll make it see-through, you can try to dry her off with a towel, which will naturally allow you to touch her body! After that, you can let her use your bath while you dry her clothes, then you can lend her one of your oversize shirts to wear! And trust me! The moment you see her when she’s fresh out of the tub with one of your shirts on, your heart’s not gonna be the only thing throbbing! I’m talkin’ about your—” “Enough!” “Pfft?!” Masachika threw a pillow at his sister for making such problematic remarks so early in the day—before they even had breakfast. The pillow smacked her in the face, and she fell back. He silently approached her, grabbed the summer blanket nearby, and wrapped it around her before tying both ends into a knot. He then tossed her onto the bed like a bag of trash, giving her no choice but to calm down as he yawned and walked out Page 12 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
of the room. That was when his eyes suddenly met those of a maid who was wiping the table in the living room. Ayano and Yuki had been staying at the Kuze residence since the previous day, as it was summer break. “Good morning, Sir Masachika.” “Yeah… Good morning.” Masachika quirked a brow at Ayano, who immediately straightened her posture and bowed. “You changed into your uniform this morning just to do a little cleaning? You could have worn something more casual since we’re going to be heading out soon.” Today, they were going to an amusement park at Yuki’s earnest request. They were planning on leaving the house before noon, so Masachika thought it would have been more convenient for Ayano to be wearing whatever she was going to wear out today. That would mean she wouldn’t have to change twice. However… “Wearing formal attire suited to my work is not only natural but expected,” she replied as if this was normal. “…Is that so?” While he felt it was unnecessary, Ayano herself seemed to switch into “maid mode” after changing into her uniform and styling her hair, so he didn’t argue with her any further. Honestly, unlike Yuki—who changed completely when she put her hair into a ponytail and switched to “littlesister mode”—Ayano seemed pretty much the same even after tying her hair up. Nevertheless, different people fired themselves up in different ways, so there was no use trying to make sense of it. Once Masachika reached that conclusion, he decided to head to the toilet and relieve himself before leaving the house. After rinsing out his mouth and washing his hands, he also washed his face to wake himself up, then returned to his room to change when… “Zzz…” “Nothing can kill you, can it?” Yuki was (pretending to be) sound asleep on the bed, despite being wrapped in a summer blanket like a Christmas present, so Masachika unleashed a powerful ax kick onto her defenseless body—except instead of his heel, he used his thigh, and it wasn’t powerful at all but instead a soft tap to her side. “Hmm?” Page 13 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
She opened an eye and yawned widely. “Huh? Time for breakfast already?” “That’s some attitude you have for a restrained crook.” “Hey, guard. Ya got any booze?” “Oh, you’re gonna feed me information, huh?” “Mmm… It happened so long ago, I’m having trouble remembering. Get my drift?” “All right, I’m out.” “Go to the bar he used to hang out at and search the second floor. I think you’ll discover something you’ll find…interesting.” “Then you give me a hint the moment I get annoyed and leave. How cliché.” “Heh…” She smiled with evident satisfaction, then spread out her arms, peeling the summer blanket off her… She then peeled…and peeled…and… “Nngh! Guh…!” “…” Oops. She seemed to be having a hard time getting it off. Yuki leaned back, wrapped in the summer blanket, while flailing her legs like a maniac. Masachika unenthusiastically watched for a few moments until he eventually got fed up, crouched by her side, and untied the knot in the blanket. His sister instantly smirked with dripping confidence, rotating her head and pretending to crack her neck as she rose to her feet. “Good grief… About time you got here. It looks like it’s my turn to make a move.” “Ah, the trope where you’re saved by your lackey, escape prison, and are actually a superstrong character and not some pathetic bum like you pretended to be… What are we doing?” he wondered aloud wearily before lowering Yuki off the bed and tossing himself facedown on the sheets in her place. “Hey, now. Don’t tell me you’re tired already. You just woke up. Where’s the excitement?” “I should be asking you how you can be so excited this early in the morning.” “Do I have to spell it out for you? I’m trying to make you feel better because you apparently had a bad dream.” “Huh? ‘A bad dream’?” Page 14 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
He rolled over onto his back and traced his memories. He frowned as he vaguely recalled a dream about a memory from long ago. Yuki placed her hand on her chest. “If you want to be held and cry in my arms, I’m here for ya, bro,” she promised with a sidelong glance. She may have hidden her thoughtfulness and love with her joking remark, but Masachika was grateful, albeit somewhat embarrassed. She would always invite herself over with Ayano in order to take care of her brother, who essentially lived by himself. While she may always claim that she came by because she was lonely, she was actually probably more concerned that her brother was feeling like he was all alone in this world. I still draw the line when she tries to sleep in the same bed as me while bringing Ayano along with her… He smirked, recalling their exchange from the previous night, and teased his sister: “I’d like to cry in your arms, but there’s not enough cushion, if you know what I mean.” “They’re more than big enough to squeeze, dammit! Or what…?! Are you saying that the only boobs you recognize as boobs are the ones that are too big to even fit in your hands?!” Yuki immediately put her hands under her breasts to push them up. His eyes narrowed at her extremely unattractive behavior, then he corrected her misunderstanding. “Being big enough to squeeze already means they’re huge… Ahem. Regardless of how big they are, you’re really skinny, so I’d be afraid one of your ribs would poke me.” “Then how about you just come over here and see for yourself?! Drown in my motherly love! Hi-yaaah!” “Mnff!” Not even a second went by, and she was already straddling him on the bed, holding his head in her arms and rubbing it between her breasts. A soft sensation caressed his cheeks as the tip of his nose pushed against her sternum. “Heh! What’d ya think of that? Could you feel my motherly love?” “I definitely felt some paternal love in there. You should eat a little more.” “I am! I just don’t get fat, no matter how much I eat!” Yuki raged, releasing Masachika’s head and sitting upright. Page 15 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
“Sigh… It looks like my tits are just no match for the Kujou sisters.” Still straddling his stomach, she dramatically put her hand to her forehead and shook her head. “Don’t call them ‘tits.’” “And fighting back with my ass or legs would be difficult as well… Plus, if we’re judging people by their ass and legs, then you can’t count Nonoa out, since she is definitely the dark horse here…” “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “You haven’t noticed those seductive hips of hers? Tsk! This is why booby-lovers disgust me…” “Hey, are you going to keep rambling like this for a while? Because if you are, do you think you could wake me up when you’re finished?” He closed his eyes to go back to sleep as though there wasn’t anything unusual about having his sister sit on his stomach. With her hand still on her forehead, she huffed out a cynical “hmph.” “We shouldn’t rush for a conclusion, bro. There’s no way to win against those three when it comes to ass, titties, and legs, since their Westerner genetics give them an advantage. Therefore…” She slowly lifted up her shirt, revealing her cute belly button and faintly protruding ribs while wearing a smug grin. “…I have decided to fight back with my stomach.” “Oh. Your stomach, huh?” “Hee-hee! What do you think? Check out this smooth, soft stomach of mine. Makes you just want to rub your cheeks against it, doesn’t it?” “Not really…” “Heh! You don’t need to lie to me, bro. You’re starting to feel things you’ve never felt before now, aren’t you? New doors are opening before you.” “Sorry, but I never even had a door for stomach fetishes to begin with.” “Then I’ll make you one. A gateway to a new world. A door that won’t bore.” “Was that supposed to be a haiku?” “Hey, are you trashing my line?” “Nothing gets by you.” “Oh-ho, I get it. Deny it all you want, but you know our minds are one. Plus, I can read your otaku thoughts like a book—or, well, manga.” Page 16 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
“Fair enough.” Actually, Masachika knew how Yuki felt, since he could also read her mind to a degree, being a fellow nerd who’d known her his entire life. Though that didn’t mean he could predict some of the outlandish things she did, and she was extremely sharp when it came to understanding how his nerdy brain worked as well. Page 17 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
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“So?” “‘So’ what?” “Have a stomach fetish now?” “Nope. Not even a little.” “Tsk. So it’s tits, huh? You just looove tits. Well, check out the underboob on these pups.” With a smirk on her face, she pulled up her shirt some more, twisting her upper body back and forth. While most guys at school would drool at the sight, Masachika… “Zzz…” “Tsk. Stop pretending like you’re asleep. I’m not even wearing a bra, you punk. Your nose should be spewing blood like a fountain.” “…” “Oh, come on. How can you not see how sexy this is?” she replied with a pout. Yuki then took out her phone, raised it into the air, and adjusted her rear a tad before taking a selfie. She looked at the picture, which was of her straddling the lower half of Masachika’s stomach with her shirt rolled all the way to her chest, and gulped. “Oh yeah… That’s deep in there.” “Shut up.” “I should send this to Alya. Hmm… ‘Masachika’s raring to go today, as usual.’” “You’re a monster!” “Oh, wait! I could pretend I’ve sent it to the wrong person and say something like ‘You were wonderful last night, Masachika.’ Should I do it?!” “Okay, I’m wrapping you up again.” After swiftly sitting up, he snatched her phone and wrapped her in the summer blanket once more. The motion was surprisingly skillful and fast —no more than four seconds. “Select and…delete.” “Ahhh! H-how dare you look through my phone! You’re a devil!” Ignoring her pleas, Masachika deleted the selfie she took. “I’m being abused! I demand to talk to a lawyer!” He effortlessly picked up his sister, who was flailing her arms and legs while involuntarily cosplaying as what appeared to be a bagworm. “Yeah, yeah. Time to go back to your cave under the bed.” His voice was sweet, like he was releasing a rescued animal back into Page 19 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
the wild, as he slowly stuffed her under his bed. “Ack! It’s way too narrow! I—” “Yeah, yeah. You’ve been naughty, so you’re going back to where you belong.” “Hey! I’m serious! There’s no way I’m going to fit, especially with this blanket wrapped around me! It’s…so tight…” “Don’t be shy. You like tight places, right?” He continued to stuff his sister under the bed, paying no mind to her pleas…until she suddenly began to shout distressingly. “Masachika, wait! You’re hurting me! It hurts! Stop trying to stuff it in like that! Th-there’s no way it’s going to fit all the way!” “…” “Huh?! Y-you’re seriously just going to ignore me?! I-it really does hurt— Ayano, help!” “Did you call for me, Lady Yuki?!” “Put your weapons down, Ayano.” Equipped in Ayano’s right hand were three metallic, ridiculously sharp pens as she rushed into the room. She surveyed the area, slowly blinking when she saw Yuki wrapped in a summer blanket with the right half of her body stuffed under the bed and Masachika squatting by her side. She observed the almost-incomprehensible situation with a blank expression, and her head tilted to the side for a few seconds…before she swiftly straightened her neck once more. “…Oh, did you get stuck? Allow me to help you, Sir Masachika.” She squatted by his side and began to pull Yuki out. “…Well, at least I know now what kind of person Ayano thinks I am.” “You reap what you sow.” Her maid, the person she trusted the most, misunderstood and thought Yuki had tried to crawl under the bed on her own. As they slowly pulled her out, Yuki stared into the distance, wondering where she went wrong for the person she trusted the most to assume she’d been doing who-knows-what underneath someone’s bed. “…What are you wearing?” “It’s a disguise,” Yuki replied casually while pushing up the brim of Page 20 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
her hat, unfazed by her brother’s disgusted gaze. After finishing breakfast, which Ayano had prepared, everyone had gotten ready in different rooms before regrouping in the living room, but Yuki’s attire was…something else. She was wearing shorts with suspenders and a T-shirt of an anime high school girl playing the bass. She had her hair tied in pigtails under a beret, and to top things off, she was wearing oversize sunglasses… Plus, her small frame wasn’t doing her any favors today, because she did not look one bit like a high schooler—maybe a middle school student at most. Some people may even mistake her as a kid in elementary school. Nevertheless, Yuki herself didn’t seem concerned as she placed a hand on the brim of her beret with a smirk that screamed “narcissist.” “Heh! Not even wearing a disguise can hide how adowably cute I am…” “You’re ‘adowable,’ huh?” “Yep.” She made two peace signs over her chin while smugly looking up at him. She’s even acting like a snotty little brat, Masachika thought, scratching his head. “But…why do you need a disguise?” “Because we might run into someone we know, like we ran into Alya that one time. Don’t forget we’re campaign rivals at school right now. Wouldn’t want any weird speculation being made about us.” “I’m pretty sure it’s already well established that we’re best friends and grew up together.” “I’m just being careful. Better to not stir the pot when given the option.” “Uh-huh…” Wearing a terrible disguise is just going to make things worse if someone catches us, he thought, but telling her that was more trouble than it was worth, so he half-heartedly nodded back at her instead. Masachika then looked over at the unrefined and unapproachable young woman standing next to his sister. It was Ayano, naturally. She was wearing a bland blouse and a bland skirt. Her thick, black hair—tied up a few moments ago when she was doing housework—was now hanging over her eyes, which were already hardly visible due to the huge glasses covering her face. She looked like the kind of girl you would see in anime where she was actually really beautiful once she took off her glasses. Page 21 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
“…Ayano.” “Yes, Sir Masachika.” “I’m telling you this for your own good. Go change into something else.” “But…” “Just do it. A beautiful young girl in high school like you shouldn’t go out dressed like that.” “…” Ayano’s eyes wavered as if she was troubled by his words, so she looked to Yuki for guidance, but Masachika immediately spoke up as if he knew this was coming and urged Yuki to reconsider. “You’re free to wear a disguise and do whatever you want, but this is too cruel. You shouldn’t make a cute girl in her prime dress like this.” “It works because she’s cute. Obviously, she’d look like a train wreck if she weren’t.” “Apologize to every not-cute girl in Japan. This instant,” he replied with a disgusted gaze before facing Ayano once more. “‘Cute’…” “…?” Although her expression was blank, Ayano’s hands were on her cheeks, and it kind of looked like she was blushing if you squinted? Maybe? Regardless, she immediately noticed Masachika’s skeptical glance, then promptly lowered her hands and adjusted her posture. Yuki gave in. “Fine. You can go change into something else, Ayano.” “As you wish.” She bowed to her master and headed over to Yuki’s room, where her belongings were. After a few seconds of watching her walk away, it suddenly hit Masachika. “Oh. She was…blushing, wasn’t she?” “Yeah, obviously.” “‘Obviously’? Just because I complimented her, though? Weird.” “Hmm… Yeah, I know what you mean.” Yuki nodded as if she could empathize. Masachika was troubled by Ayano’s reaction—something that would be considered normal if she was just any ordinary girl. It didn’t help that he completely thought she’d been ignoring him at first. He then timidly Page 22 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
asked: “Hey… Ayano’s not interested in me…romantically, right?” “As far as I know from what she has told me, she’s not.” “Thought so…” What Ayano felt toward Masachika and Yuki was clearly love and respect, but it was the kind of feeling a servant would have toward her masters. She had told them that herself, and Masachika had accepted this because if it was Ayano’s desire to devote herself to him as his maid, then why deny her of that? However…if even a fragment of her devotion came from some sort of romantic feelings, then Masachika would have to consider how to deal with it. Ayano treated both siblings equally and behaved the same way around them for the most part. Never once did he ever feel she treated them differently based on their gender. That was why he recognized that she was telling the truth…but it was hard not to be skeptical after seeing her blush like that. “Are you concerned, my dear brother?” “It’s just… I find it hard to believe anyone would blush like that when someone who is basically family merely compliments their appearance.” “Hmm… Yeah, I see what you mean.” Yuki stroked her chin as though she was deeply pondering his words until she was struck with an epiphany. “Then how about we check how she feels?” “…? How would we do that?” Masachika got a bad feeling in his gut when he saw his sister’s lips curl upward, but before he could stop her, she was already making a megaphone with her hands and yelling toward her room: “Ayano! Come over here for a second! Come on, hurry! Don’t worry if you haven’t finished changing. Just get over here!” The door to her room could be heard immediately opening and closing before rushing footsteps filled the hallway. “You called for me, Lady Yuki?” asked Ayano, opening the door to the living room. “Pfft!” Masachika’s eyes went wide, and he burst into laughter the instant he saw her…because she was wearing nothing but light-purple undergarments. Calling what she was wearing lingerie would probably be Page 23 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
more fitting, and they were more sexy than fashionable, which only made it worse. Her undergarments clearly emphasized her cleavage while revealing her thin waist and small rear, which was only complemented by her long legs. Her body wasn’t as delicate as Yuki’s, but she still had a rather impressive figure. To top it all off, her thick, dark black hair hung over her snow-white skin. She looked literally breathtakingly seductive to Masachika. “Good job, Ayano. That’s perfect.” “What’s ‘perfect’ about this?! Ayano! Cover yourself!” “I have nothing to hide before you two.” “I can see many things you should hide!” shouted Masachika in almost a scream as he looked away. Despite being rather delicate, she had very defined, feminine curves, and no matter how much Masachika thought of her as family, there was no way he could hide his panic before her half naked body. You couldn’t even compare this to Yuki’s completely nude body! It was on an entirely different level! Yuki, on the other hand, briskly walked over to Ayano and said to Masachika behind her: “Look at all her beauty marks, bro. She’s so sexy, isn’t she?” “I have no idea where you’re pointing. Anyway, Ayano, go finish changing already, okay?” “Lady Yuki…” “Mmm… Fine. I’m sorry for suddenly asking you to come out here like this. You can go back now.” “It was my pleasure. I shall return shortly.” Only when he heard the sound of the door opening and closing echoing down the hall did Masachika’s face finally return to normal. He glared at his sister. “So? What was the point of that?” “Hmm? I was checking whether Ayano saw you as a man or as family. After all, most women would be embarrassed to be caught in their underwear by a man if he wasn’t family.” “Yeah…” Masachika was taken aback by the fact that she had a good reason for what she did, and naturally, he agreed. Most people would be less embarrassed if they were seen by a member of their family. Page 24 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
“Anyway, what do you think, judging by how she reacted?” he asked his sister. “Hmm? No clue.” “Huh?” “She did seem a little embarrassed, maybe? But her expression never changes, you know? So if you asked me whether she was embarrassed because she saw you as someone who’s datable, then…it’s anyone’s guess.” “Thanks for wasting my time.” But Yuki stared back into his disgusted eyes with a meaningful gaze of her own. “At the very least, we now know that you view Ayano as more than ‘just family.’” “…” He was at a loss for words. Masachika himself was aware of the sexual attraction he felt when he saw Ayano in her underwear, so there was nothing to argue. Taking pleasure in seeing her brother silenced, Yuki suddenly smirked with a somewhat consoling gaze. “By the way, I love you more than anyone else in the entire world, but as a member of my family and as my brother, you seeing me naked doesn’t embarrass me at all. I’m really sorry to disappoint you. Sorry that I’m not the kind of little sister who screams and throws something at her brother when he walks in on her changing.” “I have no idea why I’m being apologized to, but I’d appreciate it if you were at least a little embarrassed. The fact that you’re not makes me worried about you as a woman in the middle of puberty.” “Come on. Would someone with a normal sense of shame for a girl her age really wear something as crazy as this outside?” “So you do realize how crazy you look?! And wipe that smug look off your face!” “My dear brother…can I be honest with you? Being fifteen and wearing my hair in pigtails…is rough.” “Who would have thought?” Masachika replied with a straight face as Yuki stared into the distance with a somewhat melancholic smile. “But you know what? When I saw myself in the mirror, I started to shake. I was like, ‘Seriously? How do I look this good?’” “It hurts to admit, but you do look good.” Page 25 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
“You say that, and yet your expression hardly even changed when you saw me. I suppose you’d have preferred it if I wore my hair in a ponytail?” “What makes you think that?” “Huh? Because you like ponytails, right?” “Hmm… Well, I can’t deny that I do like ponytails, but you’re kind of missing the point.” “What do you mean?” His strange, theatrical behavior piqued her interest, so she knit her brow and looked at him seriously. Masachika smirked and continued: “Of course, everyone loves a good ponytail, but…the best part about ponytails is when people who usually have their hair tied up untie them and let their hair down.” “Uh-huh. Oh, it looks like we can make the next train if we leave now. By the way, don’t you think these route-finder apps really underestimate how fast the average person walks?” “At least pretend like you’re interested in what I have to say! And I think those apps use the average elderly person’s walking speed when coming up with the times!” “What elderly person needs eight whole minutes to switch platforms?” “You’re just used to seeing our grandparents, who still move around a lot. The average old person around town won’t be able to chase a runaway dog two hundred meters, let alone catch them.” “Yeah, they’d usually have to use a bike, huh?” “No, that’s not— Whatever.” There was so much wrong with what she’d said that Masachika felt a bit exhausted…until his eyes eventually caught sight of Ayano, who had changed and was quietly putting her hair up in a ponytail. “…” “Um… Ayano? Why are you putting your hair into a ponytail?” “…? Because the amusement park probably has rules about having really long hair that is not tied back.” “Huh? O-oh… Okay.” “…?” “Wow, someone check out this guy’s ego. My brother thinks everything’s about him. How embarrassing ♪,” Yuki taunted while pointing both index fingers at his face. “Shut up!” Masachika shouted, trying to hide his embarrassment. Page 26 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
Ayano just tilted her head to the side with her usual blank expression. Their exchange went on and on like this…until it was too late, and they missed their train. Page 27 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
CHAPTER 2 Otaku are so annoying. The jaunty jingles playing from the attractions meshed with the roaring echoes of the roller coasters sliding across the rails as the three students, in somewhat high spirits for a change, walked through the amusement park. None of them really had much experience with amusement parks, especially Yuki, whose idea it was to come here today, so her sparkling eyes were darting in each and every direction. “It feels like forever since we last came to an amusement park together. I think the last time we were here was during sixth-grade summer vacation, right?” “Yeah, it was when we were staying at Grandpa and Grandma’s house and they took us.” “Yeah, yeah, yeah. I remember us being so excited and getting soaked by the huge splash from that log-flume ride.” Yuki repeatedly nodded, grinning as though to say, “We were so young back then.” “You seem to be misremembering things, so let me refresh your memory. You got a little too excited, and you alone decided to jump into the splash,” Masachika pointed out while rolling his eyes, and Yuki’s smile froze. He wasn’t going to let her try to rewrite history and get away with it. The log-flume ride at the amusement park in their memories was made so you could stand on a small bridge, which hung over the attraction’s landing pool, and get splashed head-on by the impact when the wood log crashed into said pool. Of course, the center of the bridge had a clear dome-like shield to keep people from getting wet, but Yuki, for some unknown reason, had leaped out into the open the moment the log hit the water. It was such a powerful splash that Masachika was overcome with panic and thought, Yuki’s going to get hurt, before immediately jumping out to protect her. That was what really happened. “Even my underwear and socks got soaked thanks to you.” Page 28 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
“…” “And Grandpa and Grandma were worried we’d catch a cold, so we had to leave early even though it was still barely past noon and—” “Shut yer mouth, or I’m gonna kiss ya,” Yuki threatened with a thuggish tone, lowering her sunglasses and knitting her brow. “…?!” Masachika reflexively grabbed the back of his neck after being reminded about the pain he’d suffered this morning. “Why the hell are ya covering yer neck?” “Place a hand on your heart and ask yourself why.” “A hand on my heart…? Oops. I forgot to wear a bra.” “What is wrong with you?!” “Ha-ha. I’m kidding. Look.” Yuki leaned forward, pulling down the collar of her shirt to show him her bra. “Don’t show me!” After he waved his hands in a disgusted manner while looking away, Yuki pouted, shrugging, then adjusted her sunglasses and looked to the nearby building to collect herself. “Oh, is that the haunted house?” “Sure looks that way. At least, I hope it is with all that blood.” Splattered blood decorated the outer walls of the run-down shack. The atmosphere was perfect for a haunted house…but there was one thing that Yuki didn’t seem to care for. “It looks like something you’d see in some cheap free horror game online.” “How can it be cheap if it’s free?” “…I’ll be damned. You’re a genius, bro.” “There’s nothing ‘genius’ about that.” He glared back at his sister, who seemed to be bursting with admiration. Ayano was air. Yuki seemed to lose interest in the haunted house after that and turned her attention toward the dome-shaped building in the opposite direction. “Hey, look. An arcade.” “Oh, cool. I had no idea they had an arcade like this inside the amusement park.” “I’ve actually never even been to one.” Page 29 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
Intriguing, cheerful electronic noises spilled out, and Yuki’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. Masachika then began to stroke his chin like a scholar. “An arcade, huh… I haven’t been to one in a while, either, now that I think about it.” “What? Did you used to go a lot or something?” “I did when I was living with Grandpa. But, well…I ended up getting banned from most of the ones in the area, so I stopped going.” “The hell did you do?” She looked up at him sternly, and his eyes wandered as he retraced his memories. “Uh… Well, I played all the games that show the high scores at the end until my name was the only name displayed on the screens…” “The owners obviously thought you were cheating.” “And I used whatever method necessary to snatch every last prize in the claw machines.” “You knocked over the pedestals holding the prizes, didn’t you?” “And once I got all the prizes, I tried to grab some of those glittering stones at the bottom as well.” “Who wastes their time doing that?” “And before I knew it, I was banned from every single arcade.” “Reasonable.” Masachika shrugged at his sister’s disgusted glare. After all, he’d been somewhat of a delinquent back when he was in elementary school, so being banned from the arcades was par for the course. He would sometimes get into fights, he’d left his asthmatic sister as if she was a nuisance while he moved in with his paternal grandparents, and he’d been depressed. That was why he wasted his days away at the arcade and mastered games he didn’t even like. It was around this time that he put his more passive self behind and began to do things that went against what his mother and her father taught him just to spite them. I only started to settle down once I met that girl. Suddenly, Yuki grabbed him by the hand and pointed ahead. “Let’s ride that! You can show us your arcade skills later!” Just ahead stood a roller coaster with its rails violently curving in every direction and a sign with the words Biggest Drop in Japan! in bold. “Don’t you think we should work our way up to that? I mean, that Page 30 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
roller coaster’s apparently the most intense attraction they’ve got here.” “Brooo, don’t tell me you’re scared?” “I’ve never been on a roller coaster, so I don’t even know what they’re like.” “Don’t worry. Neither have I.” “I sometimes wonder where that courage of yours comes from… What about you, Ayano?” “Lady Yuki’s wishes are my own. Wherever she goes, I go.” “Yeah, I figured you’d say that…” Resigned, he shrugged and prepared himself for the worst as Yuki guided them to the queue for the roller coaster. “Oh? Yuki, check it out. It says you have to be a hundred forty centimeters tall to ride. Looks like you’re out of luck.” “I’m not that small!” “Hmm? Hey now, stop stretching your back to make yourself look taller.” “I’m not! Look! It’s not even debatable! I’m more than tall enough!” She rushed over to the human-shaped cardboard cutout that said You must be this tall to ride, then stood in front of it in a desperate attempt to show she was tall enough. She ended up, in fact, being around a fist taller than the cutout. And yet… “Yuki, stop standing on your toes,” he reprimanded gently. “I’m not!” “Ha-ha-ha! Wearing platform shoes with soles that thick is dangerous, you know?” “They’re sneakers!” “Yeah, yeah. Anyway, come on. Let’s go.” “You better walk. You’re lucky I didn’t smack you.” With a forced smile, Yuki chased after her brother, who had walked on ahead with a soft smile while a couple and their child nearby watched the siblings warmly. They apparently thought that Masachika was Yuki’s much older brother. Little did they know that they were actually in the same grade at school and were less than one year apart in age. Incidentally, the couple didn’t even notice Ayano…despite the fact that she was standing right behind Yuki. What incredible air she was. “May I have your attention! Please place your belongings inside the locker here,” a female ride operator announced after they’d moved farther Page 31 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
along the line. Hanging above the lockers was a list of illustrations displaying what couldn’t be brought onto the roller coaster. “Makes sense. They’d have to shut down the entire ride if you dropped something, after all.” “Hmm… Phone, wallet…” “Don’t forget your hat and sunglasses.” “Oh, right.” After placing their bags and the items they had in their pockets into the lockers, they pulled the locker keys, which had wristbands attached to them, out of the keyholes and put them on. “Oh, excuse me? Do you think you could undo your ponytail so you can lean your head firmly against your seat?” “…?!” Ayano’s shoulders jumped the moment the ride operator spoke to her. She looked at the woman with her eyes so wide that they almost fell out. “No, Ayano. She doesn’t have a sixth sense, so stop looking at her like, ‘Y-you can see me?!’ You’re not a ghost, you know?” Masachika sighed while Ayano untied her ponytail. Well, there goes most of her disguise… Not like it matters, though. He thought that as he waited until it was their turn to get on. “Wow. The very front…” “Looks like we’re starting at the climax. Heh.” Masachika tensed when the ride operator guided them to the four seats at the front of the roller coaster. Although Yuki was trying to act excited to hide her nervousness, her rigid facial expression told a different story. “Enjoy the ride,” the ride operator wished cheerfully before the roller coaster began to move. The cart rattled as it slowly turned, then climbed up the track. “Oh, neat… What a beautiful sky…” “Masachika, look. ♪ The swing carousel looks so tiny from up here. ♪” “…” They chatted idly, letting their mouths say whatever randomly came to mind whether they meant what they said or not…until the roller coaster finally reached the top, and the head cart stopped right as it was hanging over the slope down. “What? Don’t stop here—” Page 32 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
The roller coaster instantaneously shot down the steep slope before Masachika could even finish his sentence. “Whoaaaaaa?!” “Ahhhhhh?!” “…” The siblings’ screams were filled with fear and astonishment before they were swept away by the wind. After the nonstop drop to the bottom, the roller coaster then suddenly made a sharp turn. “Gaaaaaah?!” “Eeeeeek?!” “…” It felt as though their organs were rapidly bouncing around in their bodies, and a lateral gust of wind abruptly smacked their cheeks. But it wasn’t long before the siblings’ screams gradually transformed into squeals of joy. “Yaaahoooooo!” “Yaaaaaay!” “…” The two siblings firmly grasped the bar holding their bodies in place, then leaned as far forward as they could to joyfully shout. They were now thoroughly enjoying every bit of this ride. But the excitement didn’t last forever. The roller coaster eventually began to slow with a rattle and return to the boarding platform. The siblings looked at each other, excitedly sputtering their thoughts. “Wow, I had no idea roller coasters were that fun!” “Right?! I got such an adrenaline rush from that thing! I definitely wouldn’t mind doing that again!” “Same here! But I really doubt we’re going to get to ride at the very front again…” After gushing about it with Yuki, he turned to check in with Ayano. “What about you, Aya…no…?” But she continued to face forward with a blank expression without even acknowledging Masachika until…a single tear ran down her right cheek. “She’s crying like a celebrity actress?!” “I’m so sorry, Ayano! Were you scared?!” Tears flowed down her cheeks while her expression remained still as a Page 33 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
portrait, making the siblings panic. They tried getting her attention, but she just continued to face forward without moving even an inch. It wasn’t long before the roller coaster returned to the platform and the safety bars automatically rose. “…” But Ayano didn’t stand. Although they didn’t notice a moment ago because the roller coaster was still rocking, Ayano was actually trembling. Furthermore, it’d apparently been scary to the point where she couldn’t stop shaking, so Masachika ended up essentially carrying her out of her seat. The siblings then each took a shoulder and walked her toward the exit. “Are you okay?” “…Yes, I apologize for the inconvenience.” “I had no idea it would be that terrifying for you. I’m really sorry for making you do that.” “You do not have to apologize for my spinelessness.” “I don’t think this has anything to do with your spine…” Masachika sighed at Ayano’s overly serious judgment. Once he saw the lockers up ahead, he let her hand go. But when they reached out to grab their belongings… “Ah.” …a familiar voice could be heard nearby, so Masachika and Yuki reflexively turned around and found, of all people, Nonoa—dressed casually (she had her hair in half-up pigtails) and looking unmotivated, as usual. “Nonoa? What’s wro—?” And standing next to her…was Sayaka, who was also dressed casually. When she noticed Masachika and Yuki there, she looked stunned. Unfortunately, Yuki’s disguise, which had been prepared for a moment just like this, was still stuffed inside her locker. “Huh…? Yuki and Masachika? Hey…?” “H-hey.” “Hello… What a coincidence running into you here, Sayaka.” They greeted her back despite feeling shaken by the unexpected encounter. Sayaka may have not said anything to Ayano, but that was perhaps due to her being solely focused on the siblings…or perhaps it was because Ayano had become air again. Page 34 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
“Um…” Obviously flustered, Sayaka swiftly shifted her gaze toward her surroundings. Maybe it was a gut feeling, but Masachika mysteriously knew she was looking for something—no, for someone, and the instant he came to that conclusion, he was overcome with a sense of dread and whispered to Yuki: “Hey?! What are we going to do?!” “RIP our amusement-park adventure.” “This isn’t a joke!” During their hushed exchange, Sayaka realized that a certain silverhaired maiden was nowhere in sight…and her expression became devoid of all emotion. As she lowered her gaze, a light suddenly reflected off her glasses, hiding her eyes from them while an ominous aura suddenly began to emit from her body. Neither Masachika nor Yuki could immediately move. Ayano was air, naturally. “…I see,” Sayaka muttered, as if she had come to some sort of conclusion, before swiftly lifting her chin. There was a chilling light in her eyes…and it was evident that she was about to have a fit. Nonoa, who was watching out of her peripheral vision, took her lips off her drink’s straw. “Uh-oh,” she commented blandly, as though it was not her problem. The eye-catching group of five sat at one of the round white tables in the amusement park’s small food court. The person who stood out the most was the girl with curly bright-blond hair and sharply sculpted features that were uncommon in Japan: Nonoa. She wore a stylish and somewhat revealing outfit, exposing her milky-white skin to the summer sun. One could recognize her high-level beauty in a single glance. The other three women sitting at the table were also beautiful, with very refined features of their own. Well, if you ignored the fact that one of them looked like she was in elementary school, that is. Mixed in with this group of beautiful young women, however, was a single average-looking guy, and any outsider would have a hard time racking their brain to figure out how he fit in with the group. “Hey, ladies. What’s…up…?” A young man, who appeared to be a university student, approached Page 35 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com